The present invention relates to jewelry and, more particularly, to an improved clasp for joining the two free ends of a jewelry chain together in an easy to facilitate junction.
With certain jewelry, particularly women's jewelry, there is an inherent conflict between the need to make the clasp easy to facilitate so that the wearer can readily attach and detach the free ends of the bracelet or necklace, and the need to make the clasp very secure so that it does not readily and inadvertently become unattached and risk the potential loss of the jewelry.
Thus, even young people, having a great deal of dexterity, find it difficult to fasten necklaces behind their necks or fasten most bracelets which, by their nature, must be fastened with the use of only one hand. This problem is compounded many fold in the case of older people or the many millions of people who suffer from even mild cases of arthritis or similar afflictions that limit the use of the hands.
Magnetic clasps, without safety catches, are widely used for costume jewelry. However, manufacturers and retailers of fine jewelry (gold jewelry, sterling silver jewelry or jewelry containing gemstones) seldom, if ever, offer necklaces with magnetic clasps. Makers and wearers of fine jewelry want the security of a safety catch and none of the available magnetic clasps with safety catches are considered practical. Such clasps are either too difficult to close, not secure when closed or are too difficult to open. In addition some are simply not attractive.
Accordingly, the clasp for jewelry, as well as clasps for other items, have a long felt need to meet all three of the key consumer requirements, that is, the clasp must be easy attach and detach, it must be secure when closed (can't be opened by pulling it apart) and it must be easy to open. In addition to those functional requirements, of course, the clasp is commercially benefited by being attractive so that the clasp enhances, rather than detracts, from the overall attractive appearance of the jewelry itself.
An example of a magnetic clasp is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,298 of Nessar-lvanovic where there is a clasp having side by side magnets that are laterally spaced apart about the centerline of the clasp parts and wherein the joining of the parts in making up the clasp requires an interlocking of the two parts by means of a specially configured socket arrangement. That interlocking arrangement would appear to require some dexterity on the part of the wearer and the overall clasp would seem susceptible to opening upon receiving a pulling force in a direction diagonal to the end edges of the clasp.
It would, therefore, be advantageous for a clasp to have all of the foregoing attributes and, additionally provide some positive indication to the wearer that the clasp has been effectively and fully closed and one means of providing such positive indication would be to have positive clicking action that the wearer could hear and/or feel, to indicate to the wearer that the clasp has been fully closed and the danger of a partially closed clasp inadvertently coming apart is basically eliminated.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a clasp for joining the free ends of a piece of jewelry having features that overcome the aforedescribed shortcomings in present clasps while having the desired functional features and, at the same time, providing an attractive appearance to the wearer.